To Regret or to Accept
by This-Is-Caketown
Summary: Rewind to season one before everything changed. For Skye, just as everything is falling into place her life takes an unexpected turn down a road she never thought she'd travel. Suddenly she's confronted with the biggest decision of her life: to run from her uncertain future and leave her baby to grow up as she did, or to stay and break the cycle. But for Skye, it's never that easy.
1. Chapter 1: A Rough Introduction

**So I'm starting this story out and I have a general idea of where I want it to go, but I just got so excited that I ended up writing the first chapter all at once and thought I'd publish it to see what people think. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I'd really appreciate some feedback so I can see if this is worth pursuing!**

**It's taking place in season one (before the whole Hydra event and evil Ward and all that good stuff) so not much from season two will be mentioned in the story! It's just as if Skye and Ward had time to let their relationship grow and the team is still out on the bus hunting down the bad guys.**

**Anyway, onto Skyeward because for about half a second they were adorable.**

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><p>"Skye." She could hear him loud and clear through her earpiece as she feverishly worked on her laptop.<p>

"I'm working on it, AC," Skye said warningly, her fingers flying over the keys as she sought to gain access into the building's mainframe so that she alone would have control over its access-granting DNA reading pads. She was already trying to ignore Fitz and Simmons who looked on over her shoulder with interest, and having to deal with yet another request to speed things up would bring Skye to her boiling point pretty fast.

"Forget about that. I know you've been dying for a chance to see the action up close. Now's your chance." Skye could hear the smile in his words even over the sound of loud thuds and heavy falls. May and Ward must be doing pretty well if Coulson thought it was safe for a level 2 clearance to join the ranks.

_Ward._

"I think I'll be more useful on the bus," Skye made herself answer, trying to seem like nothing was wrong as the fingers that had previously paused along with her thoughts resumed their typing. She could hear the groans of disbelief behind her from Fitz and Simmons but tuned them out. Skye has been making a huge deal over not being allowed to go on the field during missions and even got her S.O. to say "a comment" about her improved skills. But Coulson, protective of his agents as always, refused.

"Never mind the doors. There are other ways in," Coulson explained through her earpiece right as a loud yell and a thud came through the device. Again she ignored the "Yes, _go_"s coming from behind her.

"No thanks AC" Skye said firmly, her eyes now on the holographic image of the complicated access system hovering before her.

"Skye, I'm not requesting. We'll be in the West Wing of the building."

"But-"

"No buts. You haven't trained this hard for nothing."

So of course five minutes later Skye found herself running past fallen bodies, weapon always at the ready. Though she knew all possible enemies has been neutralized, she knew enough by now to always stay vigilant. "Clear your mind," Ward would tell her. "Watch your surroundings. Forget your own body, focus on movement around you." But that was a little difficult seeing as Skye was much more preoccupied with her own thoughts and fears at the moment than the reflections off the metallic walls that could clue her in to approaching enemies.

Despite her lack of focus Skye made it to the West Wing without incident, immediately lowering her gun when she found Coulson, May, and Ward investigating a body, waiting for her.

_Ward._

Her stomach clenched uncomfortably as her gaze inevitably fell on him, though as soon as he looked up she shifted and moved to the other side of May, as far away from her S.O. as she could manage. _Not yet, _she reminded herself. _This is not the time to worry about it. You have time._ Skye tried to push all thoughts of Ward and herself out of her mind as she listened to Coulson and May discuss the latest victim of a serial-superkiller-Centipede-experiment-gone-horribly-wrong that Coulson has been assigned to catch. This was the second killer they were too late to save, and Skye could see the guilt written all over Coulson's face.

"He may have escaped today, but we're getting warmer," Coulson said grimly, an almost cruel joke as whatever screwed up guy was out there looking for blood had the ability to raise the temperature of whatever he touched.

"We'll stop him before the next one," May said firmly, looking down at the body angrily. Skye nodded her eyes on the victim as well.

"Whether he knows it or not, he's leaving us a trail. One we can track," she agreed, though she wasn't completely positive that this was feasible. Still, Coulson nodded as he squatted beside the body, investigating further. As if they had the same thought the team moved away to give him his space. Skye moved along the walls of the West Wing (a part of the latest Centipede complex that was really no more than a warehouse), investigating the various boxes and packages that adorned the warehouse. Most of them all looked the same of course, but one package had a slightly different feel to it. Skye was in the middle of examining what exactly was off about it when she felt another presence beside her.

"So. Tonight, I was thinking…" Ward trailed off, a hand resting lightly on her hip. Skye tore her eyes form the package and jerked her head in his direction at the sound of his voice, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"We were just over there staring at this dead guy's half-melted face and you still want to get freaky later?" She hissed, trying not to draw May's attention. But May was at the opposite corner from them, too far to overhear. Skye stepped to the side easily and Ward let his hand fall.

"If you don't have something to get you past the melted faces, you'll end up hating your job and your life," Ward said matter-of-factly, moving beside her and pretending to look at a box on the ground. Sky sighed, causing Ward to shoot her a vaguely concerned look.

"Not tonight, Ward. They'll get suspicious," was the only explanation Skye offered up. Ward opened his mouth to argue (or so Skye assumed) but she was already heading towards the opposite end of the warehouse, far away from any prying eyes or questions. Skye knew she would never be able to be with Ward in that way until she told him, but the idea of voicing it aloud just…made it real.

Skye wandered down the aisle of packages, hardly noticing the slight increase in temperature as she turned a corner down the aisle against the wall. She wasn't doing anything wrong, really. Just taking her time. Planning. Being responsible, like she was supposed—

There was a split second of indecision as a large figure slid out in front of her, not more than three feet away. Haunting yellow eyes met Skye's, and though sweat rapidly began to roll down her body, a mixture of both fear and heat, it was like ice had grabbed Skye's heart and squeezed it tightly. All her training flew out the window as she backed away, the man moving closer with her. Skye screamed as she reached for her gun, only to find that it was caught on her jeans. This was why she needed special secret agent clothes like May. If she had time she would be swearing, cursing, pulling for the weapon but as the man reached out towards her and she stumbled for half a second over her own feet, Skye knew it was no use. She saw him lunge, felt him grab her, and then heard several shots ring out as a loud pained wail from somewhere nearby rang out. Her body was thrown, not dropped, but _thrown _into the cold metal scaffolding in the middle of the aisle. Skye's eyes opened for a brief moment as she felt her body flying backward, her gaze landing on an absolutely terrified Ward.

_Ward._

_The baby._

And then it all went dark.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading this first chapter! If you plan to keep reading, awesome because you're going to have to wait a little while to see what happens with Skye. The next chapter is mainly explaining how things got this far if you know what I mean...So let me know what you think!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Back to the Start

**So I meant to wait a few days, but these two won't shut up and I feel like I just have to write it all down. I had a lot more planned for this chapter but since it's almost twice as long as the first chapter I decided to split it up into at least two parts. So this chapter as well as the next will be focused on Skye and Ward's past before the accident. I like this one much better than the first chapter, so I'd really appreciate some input! Let me know what you think :)**

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><p><em>Two months earlier...<em>

It was a Monday just like any other that found Skye dancing around the punching bag, throwing her fists at it every few seconds. She fought the urge to look back at her S.O. after a particularly satisfying smack, instead concentrating on keeping her jabs short, fast, and even. The problem with working out so often was that Skye tired easily, and Ward never seemed content to let her stop. He was always the one to push her past her breaking point and today was no exception.

"You're slowing," Ward remarked from a few feet away, watching as Skye's hair began to pull itself loose from her ponytail and listening as her breathing increased. He could feel exactly what she was feeling, the burn of the lactic acid in her muscles as she pushed her body through the pain. As her S.O., it was his job to push her and make her stronger.

"You don't think I know that?" Skye snapped through gritted teeth, her fists still flying through the air.

"You're getting sloppy," was Ward's only response as he began to move, not completely circling the punching bag but pacing far enough to see Skye's form from all angles.

He tried to ignore any inappropriate thoughts that arose, forcing himself to think of only the lesson.

"You need constant disciple. If you really want to be as fierce as The Cavalry, you'll have to learn to hold your own," Ward chuckled, stepping back as Skye shot him a venomous look.

"I'll show your face what's fierce," Skye muttered, landing a perfect punch on the bag.

"Excuse me, what was that?" Ward asked, stepping close to his rookie and staring down at her. Skye muttered something under her breath and shook her head just as Ward made a calculated move and pushed the punching bag away from Skye right as she went in to land a hard punch, causing her to stumble and curse under her breath.

"I think you need to learn some manners," Ward said mildly, fighting back the smile that threatened to erupt at the sight of Skye's livid face.

"Well do you want me to train, or not?" Skye demanded, her hands landing on her hips as she stared up at Ward menacingly. He really, really tried to be the patient mentor. He did. But Ward held his laughter in for all of three seconds before he let it all out, slowly releasing the punching bag as he did so.

"Come on, you're done for the day," he chuckled, shaking his head. He looked over at Skye expecting to see her angry kitten face but instead saw a smile threatening to break out across her own features. Looking at her just that way, with the crappy jet lighting and her workout clothes a mess from the day's exertion, Ward had never had a harder time forcing thoughts about his rookie to leave his mind. Normally he'd just walk away and go off by himself for a while until he felt more in control. Today though, he couldn't help delving deeper into the belly of the beast.

"Drink?" Ward asked, cocking his head in the general direction of upstairs where the bar would be. "Sure thing, Agent Ward. Just gotta take a shower first," Skye said amiably, all traces of anger gone. Ward nodded but swallowed uncomfortably, deciding that the only image of Skye that could come close to replacing the one of her after a good workout would be her wrapped in a towel after a shower. Preferably with him in it. Ward shook his head, determined to remember the distance he needed to keep.

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><p>If Ward did remember his distance, he didn't remember to follow his own rules. The training sessions with Skye became much more lenient, and while he did push her to work past her limits he found himself standing closer to her and offering her more guidance than he previously had before. It was during one of these sessions where Ward had Skye out on the mat and was showing her new ways to disarm and incapacitate an enemy that saw Agents Coulson and May looking on from the platform above.<p>

"I think they're getting along nicely," Coulson remarked from where he rested against the railing, though he couldn't help the troubled frown as he watched the two of them spar on the mat, echoes of laughter and lighthearted insults reaching his ears.

"Too nicely," May essentially grunted, leaning back against the doorway and watching the agents. This wasn't the first time she'd noticed the two agents behaving a little too inappropriately. Just the other night they'd been sitting at the bar talking, and May hadn't missed the way Skye leaned towards Agent Ward or the way he watched her every move.

"So what are you thinking, Agent May?" Coulson asked, straightening up and stepping towards her. May was silent for a few moments as she watched Agent Ward flip Skye over onto the mat.

"I think if they aren't separated you're going to have a broken protocol on your hands," she stated. Coulson sighed, unsure what would be the best course of action.

"We'll give them some time. If things are still developing as they are in a few weeks, we'll reassess," Coulson decided. He looked to Agent May for approval but found none. She stared down at the sparring agents and shook her head almost imperceptivity before turning and heading back to her cockpit.

"Be smart," Coulson muttered under his breath, shooting Skye and Ward one last glance before returning to his office. Though if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure who he was speaking to—himself, or the young agent he'd taken under his wing just a short while ago.

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><p>"I need a word with you."<p>

Ward looked up from where he lounged on one of the more comfortable couches the plane had to offer, reading an old, beaten-up book he carried with him. Well, more like reading for the umpteenth time the old letter that served as Ward's bookmark. The paper was old and wrinkled by now, a sure sign that it had been open and read many times over. But letters from Ward's grandmother were few and far between and Ward kept them safe for as long as they could last.

"Sure. What about?" He asked, gauging the appearance of the woman standing in front of him. Before he met Agent May, Ward had considered himself an expert at reading faces. But when it came to The Cavalry he was completely lost.

"Privately," was all May had to say, turning away from Ward and heading to the cockpit. Taking it as a cue that he should follow Ward sighed and dropped his book, taking his time to stretch before following May into the privacy of the cockpit.

"Is it something I did?" he asked lazily once he entered and closed the door, leaning back against it.

"What are you planning to do with Skye?" May was quick and to the point, crossing her arms as she stared down the taller man. She was, after all, someone who was used to intimidating others.

"Do with her." Ward repeated, staring at Agent May with a raised eyebrow, mimicking her stance as he waited for clarification.

"Are you going to sleep with her?" Grant Ward was stunned—this was not a conversation he'd expected to have, and with Melinda May of all agents.

"If you have a problem with the way I train my student, then you can just tell me that," Ward said in exasperation, watching her in disbelief.

"You need to cool it with her. Anyone can see how she looks at you. You're going to put this whole team in danger. Letting her off easy during training sessions, flirting with her like she's some high school crush. You're not a child, Grant. So stop acting like one." It didn't take a genius to see that May meant every word. She clearly didn't believe Skye was progressing well enough or that Ward could be trusted with her training.

"I know how to train her. She responds better with positive reinforcement than she does with abusive training." Ward was vaguely aware that it sounded like they were discussing housebreaking a dog, but he waved the idea away as he stared down the most intimidating member of the team.

"I'm not telling you to be abusive. I'm telling you to be distant. Firm. Stop giving her the wrong impression. Because I know you aren't about to break protocol and jeopardize your position in S.H.I.E.L.D." May's warning tone carried with it a heavy weight that made Ward bristle with anger.

"You're asking me to-"

"No, Ward, I'm not. I'm telling you. Stop it now. You're her S.O., her trainer, nothing more. Make sure she knows that or I will." May stared straight into Ward's eyes, leaving him without a doubt that May would follow through with that threat. At the same time he reached this conclusion May turned and switched her focus to the controls, hitting a few switches before settling into her seat.

"You can go now," she said dismissively. Ward stood frozen in his fury for a moment before he wrenched the door open and walked through the common area, where of course Skye was investigating the book that lay on the couch. Without a word Ward grabbed the book and stalked past her, heading down to the cargo bay.

"Hey, Ward. I didn't read it, I swear. I was just…Um. Hello? Earth to Ward? Where are you going?" Skye was trailing behind Ward so closely that she didn't notice at first when he spun around, causing her to stop abruptly right in front of him.

"The gym. Meet me there in five minutes," he ordered sharply, bringing a deep frown to Skye's features.

"But we don't train for another hour."

"You need the extra practice. Five minutes. Go," he snapped, whirling again towards the stairs that would take him to their makeshift gym to set everything up. Skye grumbled as she headed back to her bunk to change, knowing full well that this next training session was going to be anything but fun.

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><p>As it turns out, Skye was right. An hour later she lay sprawled on her back, rubbing the back of her head painfully as she sucked in oxygen. "You knocked the freaking wind out of me," she accused as she slowly made it to her feet, wincing as her body protested the movements. At least she was glad that Fitz-Simmons had retired to the common area with a board game, leaving Skye and her S.O. alone with her humiliation.<p>

"Again," Ward commanded, getting into the position that Skye would need to break in order to not end up flipped over on the ground again.

"No. We've been at this for an hour and we haven't accomplished anything. I'm exhausted, you're just…you, and I'm supposed to be researching something for Coulson. I'm done." Skye bent down to roll up the mat, not noticing the livid expression on Ward's face. She hadn't made it far when a foot came down hard on the piece of the mat that was already rolled up, and Skye straightened up to see Ward staring down at her.

"Did I say we were finished?" He demanded, his hands on his hips as he fixed her with an even stare that might have made Skye rethink her actions if she wasn't as fed up with the failed session as he was.

"No, _I_ did," Skye snarled right back. She started to bend down and pick up the mat again but found herself jerked backward by Ward's hand on her arm. "What the hell, Ward," she asked, surprised as he pulled her to her feet. "I said that I'm-" She met his gaze and paused mid-insult when she noticed the look in his eyes.

Skye meant to finish her sentence, had her argument all planned out in her head, but none of that mattered once Ward pulled her closer and brought his mouth to hers, not allowing a moment's pause for Skye to even think about pulling away. Not that she wanted to.

The kiss was hot and demanding and ruthless, leaving Skye practically shaking in Ward's grasp. He pushed her the way he pushed her in all things, past her breaking point and further as he ravaged her mouth. There was nothing sweet or gentle in this kiss, nothing but reckless desire and a haunting need for closeness. Skye didn't know when or how she'd managed to press herself right up against her S.O., but here she was, breathless and drowning and hoping that he never let her up for air. She never wanted this to stop.

But of course like all good things, the kiss ended much too soon for Skye. She stared up at Ward, their eyes meeting for only a few brief moments as the two of them breathed heavily together. And then Ward was gone, disappearing up the stairs and leaving Skye behind to recover on her own.

With shaky hands Skye reached up to touch her now swollen lips, burning the memory of that kiss into her mind for good. She had no idea what the hell had just happened, but Skye did know one thing—she wanted it to happen again, and soon.


	3. Chapter 3: A Classic Love Story

**So I'm back with another chapter! To be honest I'm not too wild about this one. It went through a lot of rewrites and rearranging before it turned into something I'm okay with publishing. Part of it is because these are meant to be glimpses into Skye and Ward's life so it can continue at a normal pace once the story returns to present day, but this wasn't my best chapter so please bear with me! This one is a lot longer than the first two chapters which is partly why it took some time to finish, but things are also starting to get a little crazy so unfortunately updates might not be as frequent now.**

**That being said, there are some almost-explicit parts to the story in this chapter. I'm trying to keep this story as close to a T rating as possible and I've never been one for writing mature scenes but it was hard to trim down what I needed to keep this chapter from being too much. So I've decided that at some point I'll be uploading an M rated story with a collection of scenes where the story could have gotten more in depth, if you know what I mean. That won't be for a little while though!**

**And finally, it looks like it's going to take one more chapter before we get back to where Skye and the rest of the team are. So hopefully one more chapter (fingers crossed)!**

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><p>If life on the plane had continued as it was things might have stayed the way they were between Skye and Ward, or maybe even petered out. Ever since the kiss nearly a week ago Skye had been trying to catch Ward's eye but the other agent seemed just as determined to avoid hers. He rarely showed up for the scheduled training sessions but Skye persisted, working hard on her own even when her S.O. went MIA. So focused was she on her training routine that she went plenty of practices without noticing her mentor occasionally watching her from above. When Ward was present he always arrived late and spoke few words that weren't commands. Not once did he make a move to touch Skye. But despite his body language Skye would grin to herself, taking it as proof that she wasn't the only one who felt the growing attraction between them. Ward was forcing them apart by sheer will, but one day he would cave. Life on the plane might be quiet at the moment, but things were bound to change soon.<p>

And change they did. It wasn't long at all before the team found themselves on a mission bound for the Swiss Alps on a supposed 0-8-4, a mission that sounded both risky and thrilling enough for Skye to choose as her first big debut as a field agent. She cornered Coulson just as their plane landed at the pre-designated site, begging him to let her join them.

"Come on Coulson, I'm ready. You know I am. I've been training and working with Ward and I'm really good now. Guns? No problem. You can use some extra protection. I'm your guy," Skye grinned up at Coulson, aiming to make it more difficult for him to turn her down. Despite her expectant smile Coulson had "that look" on his face that always meant the same thing: no.

"No, Skye. Not yet. Your time will come, but right now we have an uncertain threat guarded by a team of mercenaries. It's no time to experiment with what you can do," Coulson refused, though it was obvious that the older agent was at least somewhat amused. Skye opened her mouth to protest, but Coulson silenced her with a hand on her shoulder and an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. But right now I need you here." Skye bit back any unkind retorts and nodded, earning an approving last pat from Coulson before he descended the stairs to meet up with Ward and May. It wasn't easy for Skye to hold back, but she knew enough about Coulson now to see that he valued teamwork over personalized skill. And if earning his trust meant hanging back for a few missions she would do it without complaint. Well, maybe a couple times. Or just this once. Skye sighed and turned back to her bunk to grab her laptop before the team left, knowing it would be awhile before they actually headed out.

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><p>As Coulson descended the stairs he mulled over Skye's request, deciding he'd done the right thing by forbidding the agent to join them. Skye was improving, that was obvious. But she wasn't there yet. And besides, he had some other concerns. Concerns that only came back to him loud and clear as Ward approached him, his eyes scanning the room.<p>

"Sir, I wanted to see if you-" Ward began, but Coulson just waved him off.

"Out with it, Agent Ward," Coulson said in resignation, nodding towards Agent May as he checked the trunk of the SUV to make sure they had the essentials they would need for the mission.

"I think Skye should come with us. She's strong, she's smart, and she's ready," Ward said firmly, remaining a respectful distance from Coulson as he watched the older man critically.

"Is that your professional opinion, Agent Ward, or were you coerced into telling me this?" Coulson asked, closing the trunk once he finished counting the weapons and gear.

"Sir?" Ward asked, eyeing Coulson with the utmost confusion.

"Tell me Agent Ward, how is Skye these days? I hardly see her anymore, seeing as she's permanently glued to your hip," Coulson said pointedly, raising a questioning eyebrow. Though it had been some time since Ward had publicly enjoyed Skye's company, Coulson's thoughts clearly hadn't been eased with the distance Ward had sought to keep between them. Ward got the message loud and clear and nodded stiffly at his superior.

"I can assure you that it's my opinion as her S.O. She wants to be out there, and she's ready," Ward said firmly. Coulson sighed and shook his head, fixing Ward with the same apologetic glance he'd given Skye.

"I'm sorry Ward, but this is exactly the reason I can't let her come with us yet. Maybe we'll have Agent May train with her a few times, get another opinion. For now it's just you, May, and myself," Coulson explained. Ward nodded respectfully and gave up without another word. He followed Coulson over to where May and Fitz-Simmons were standing, saying their usual good-byes.

"We'll see you soon sir, Agent May, Agent Ward," Simmons said cheerfully, Fitz nodding beside her.

"And don't worry. We'll make sure Skye doesn't follow you," Fitz attempted to whisper.

"Don't think I didn't hear that," a voice said warningly from above them. Everyone looked up to see Skye jumping down the stairs and landing besides the scientists. She playfully smacked Fitz on the arm with the back of hand, though her eyes were focused on someone else. Still, that small motion was enough to ignite something in Ward, a small echo of the possessive desire he'd felt that day during Skye's training. There was half an awkward moment of silence before Skye grinned and gave a little wave.

"Soo, be safe everyone. And don't forget to bring back gifts!" Coulson chuckled as May rolled her eyes and retreated to the car. Ward nodded gruffly to the group before turning to follow his team. The remaining agents backed up the ramp to watch the team depart, and Skye gave a long suffering sigh.

"Damn, I wish I was going with them," she muttered. Fitz groaned and muttered his usual "oh, here we go" and Simmons just shook her head.

"You say that now, Skye, but sometimes it's best to be settled in your own little lab," she said breezily, moving to close the cargo bay door.

"Says the one who pushed us to go into the field," Fitz added in mock outrage, though his valid point fell on deaf ears.

"But don't you worry about them out there? They could get hurt," Skye pointed out, though the joking smile on her face showed she wasn't too worried. She trusted Ward. He would bring them back safely. But when it came down to it, they were her team too and she didn't like watching them drive away knowing they were going somewhere she couldn't follow, too far away for her to be of any use to them. She'd feel a hell of a lot better if she could be with them when things got rough.

"To be honest, I'd worry more if they had the extra weight to worry about," Fitz interjected, nodding sagely. Skye sighed and shook her head before retreating back up to the briefing room to stay in contact with her team, Simmons and Fitz following as they always did.

"Besides, they've done this a dozen times now," Simmons smiled, patting Skye on the back to cheer her up. "Everything will be fine."

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><p>So of course everything did not go fine. Three hours later Skye, Simmons, and Fitz waited anxiously on the ramp as whoever was behind the wheel rocketed into the cargo bay and slammed on the brakes. The driver's side door flew open as May sprang out, racing for the button that would close the cargo bay door just as Coulson jumped out of passenger's side door. Fitz and Simmons were immediately beside Coulson, asking what was wrong. But Skye just stared at the door to the backseat, silently willing it to open just as violently as the others had.<p>

_Come on, Ward._

"May! Get us in the air. Fitz-Simmons,I need your help. Ward's been hit," Coulson ordered, May already sprinting up the steps towards the cockpit. Skye ran past the others and wrenched the backseat door open in a panic, letting out a breath of relief when she saw Ward, sitting upright and staring back at her with his hand outstretched to open the door.

"Oh thank god," Skye breathed, stepping back so he could make his way out of the car. "I thought you were dead." Ward gave a quick barking laugh at that, his eyes closing momentarily in pain as he stepped out of the car.

"Stand back Skye, we're going to need to get him into the lab and pull the bullet out," Simmons advised. Skye nodded and backed up a few steps, watching as Coulson and Fitz helped Ward make his way onto the table in the lab. Skye gasped when she saw the blood spilling down Ward's arm as well as the growing wet splotch on his undershirt, following the group into the lab from a distance, watching as they managed to get Ward onto the table.

"Pulse is stable. Breathing is good," Simmons noted, looking up at Coulson for confirmation. Coulson nodded, watching Ward worriedly as the younger man glared at the two from his seat on the table.

"Gunshot wounds to the hip and upper arm. The hip looks like a surface wound, but I think the second is a bit deeper," Coulson explained.

"I'm fine. I've had worse than this before," he pointed out, though neither Simmons nor Coulson stopped to listen to his argument.

"How did this happen, sir?" Simmons asked, voicing the quested that had Skye bouncing on the balls of her feet, torn between not wanting to draw attention to herself and risk getting kicked out of the room but also wanting to know what had happened.

"We just managed to grab the 0-8-4 when a second team came out of hiding and ambushed us," Coulson explained, wiping his split lip on the back of his arm. "We tried to patch him up before we left, but there was no time."

"It's a good thing you didn't. Luckily you're right, this is more of a flesh wound. Any playing around with it and it could have gone much deeper," Simmons told Coulson in a hushed tone as she examined the skin around the initial injury. Skye looked up at her in disbelief at the word "luckily"—_seriously? _"We need to take off his shirt though so I can get to the wound."

There was a lurch as the plane began to move, causing the table to shift and Ward to yell out in pain as Simmons and Fitz dove to collect the items they needed to dig the bullet out of Ward's hip before they toppled off their respective counters. Without thinking Skye abandoned her position by the door and moved to be beside him, smiling as reassuringly as she could at him. Takeoffs were never particularly easy, but this one seemed especially awful as the plane hurdled unsteadily upward, causing Ward to yell out in pain again, sweat now collecting on his face.

"Ward-" Skye began, trying to think of some way to comfort him.

"Skye," he breathed through gritted teeth. Skye leaned closer, her eyes never leaving his. "Get out." Skye didn't move, just stared at him as Coulson moved to quickly rip Ward's shirt off for easier access to his bullet wound.

"I said go," he yelled at her, his eyes large and round and full of pain that Skye wished she could just take away from him.

"No," Skye said firmly, stepping closer to the table. "I'm not leaving."

"Okay, I'm ready," Simmons called out, holding a terrifyingly large metal instrument and moving towards Ward's hip, ready to extract the bullet.

"Not until she's out of here," Ward hissed, narrowing his eyes at Skye. Skye stared right back at him, completely dumbfounded.

"Oh for heaven's sake, Skye, you need to go," Simmons snapped, watching Ward with obvious concern on her face.

"Skye, out," Coulson said quietly, jerking his head in the direction of the cargo bay.

"Fine," Skye said angrily, throwing her hands up as she backed away. "What the hell do I care." She maintained her composure as she left the lab with all its glass walls behind her, but the moment she made it out of the cargo area it was all Skye would do to keep from breaking down. She cast a quick glance around her and ran up the stairs into the main cabin, settling into one of the many plush white seats by the window. She sat with her knees against her chest and her back pressed against the soft material, staring dejectedly out the window at the baby blue sky.

Why did this affect her so much? It wasn't like she and Ward were in a relationship. So what if he kissed her once? A kiss was just a kiss. Even if it was the kind of kiss that had the power to wake someone from a deep sleep because man, Skye had never felt more alive than when she was with Ward for those few moments. It had been the kind of kiss that sparks a legend or a fairytale, but Ward had made it obvious that neither of those stories would be in her future. She needed to get over it just as he had apparently gotten over her.

Skye was in the middle of nursing her hurt ego when she heard rather than saw Fitz approach, pause a moment, and then settle in the seat across from her.

"Are you alright?" He asked, leaning forward to place a light hand on her shoulder. It amazed Skye how different this touch was from the last time she'd felt a hand on her arm. Skye looked over at Fitz and forced a smile, dropping her legs so she didn't seem quite as pathetic.

"Yeah, I'm alright. How's he doing?" She asked, going for that whole nonchalant, I'm-just-asking-because-it's-what-nice-people-do sound. Judging by Fitz's face, it wasn't very believable.

"If you ask me, he's being a bit of a baby about it." Skye could hear the smile in his words and chuckled lightly, offering him a smile as well.

"I'm Agent Grant Ward and I can kick any agent I want out of a lab. But only if I've been shot," Skye mimicked, more for Fitz's benefit than hers. He shook quietly with laughter, shaking his head.

"He'll be okay, you know," he said once the laughter had died down. "Simmons said it really was just a flesh wound, but he'd lost a lot of blood on the way back. That's probably why he snapped at you. And the worst part was really just his arm. He'll have to be in a sling for a couple weeks, but he should still be able to shoot the legs of a flea from 500 yards as long as it's not windy." Skye did a double take at Fitz's joke, holding her laugh in for about a second before she was dying. Fitz chortled along with her, the light flush to his face showing how delighted he was to bring that sound from Skye. When she didn't stop, however, concern began to take laughter's place.

"What is it?" He asked, looking at her suspiciously.

"Fitz, that was funny," Skye said shakily as she laughed, wiping her eyes as she calmed herself. Fitz opened his mouth to say something more, but the sound of approaching footsteps sobered them up immediately. All memory of Fitz's recurring joke forgotten, Skye sprang to her feet just as Coulson walked into the common area. He stopped when he saw them, heading over towards them just as Skye ran to his side.

"How is he?" She demanded to know.

"He's fine. Simmons pulled the bullet fragments out and he's just resting. Alone," Coulson hinted, staring at Skye sharply.

"I know, I know. Can't a trainee worry about her S.O.?" Skye asked, honestly interested in the question. Coulson made it obvious that he suspected her motives, but she hadn't done anything wrong. Not really.

"Of course," Fitz piped up from beside her. Coulson gave Fitz a strained smile and nodded.

"Right, of course. I'll see you two in a bit—I need to make a call to HQ, see where we go from here," Coulson sighed, turning back to his own little cabin.

"Later AC," Skye called out, feeling much more relaxed now that she knew Ward would be fine. Since that crisis was averted, she figured she had earned some time to herself to-

"Want to play a game or something?" Fitz asked hopefully. "I hear you're the one to beat at Battleship." Fitz's grin dimmed the second Skye shot him an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry Fitz, I think I just need some van time right now."

"Right, no, of course. Totally understandable. I'll just play with, uh, Simmons!" Fitz called out when his fellow labbie ascended the stairs. "Battleship?" He asked her cheerfully. Skye laughed to herself as she snuck away, half-listening to Simmons berate Fitz for thinking she'd want to play Battleship before she had time to shower Ward's blood off her hands. Skye shivered but kept going, only pausing when she passed the lab to peer in through the glass. Ward was in there sitting at the table, flexing his arm slowly. Skye only meant to observe for a moment but apparently it was one moment too long as Ward suddenly turned and saw her. Skye at least had the good sense to drop her gaze and turn towards the SUV, crawling in through the side opposite to the one where Ward had sat. Once safe within the dark confines of the black leather and tinted windows, Skye breathed a long sigh of relief.

She wasn't exactly sure how long she sat there before the door opposite her opened. It could have been half an hour, it could have been two. But when Skye looked over and saw Ward climb into the car to sit beside her, her jaw practically fell open.

"Are you going to tell me to get out?" Skye asked as she looked away, mentally patting herself on the back for how calm she managed to keep her voice. Ward just looked at her for a moment without speaking as if he was deciding.

"No, I'm not," he said evenly, shifting slightly. The new position made it possible for Skye to see the sling that held his arm, and she felt a tinge of pity for her S.O.

"Look, Ward. I'm sorry I stepped into your personal pace, or whatever. I should have left as soon as you said you didn't want me." Skye's speech faltered as she met Ward's eyes, and she cleared her throat hastily.

"There. Didn't want me _there_," she corrected herself. She meant to continue with her apology, but Skye was distracted. She couldn't quite explain what it was but something was off in the way Ward carried himself tonight. Something about him just wasn't…right. The longer Skye studied him, the clearer the answer became—she knew why he was here. And the part of her that had done nothing but crave Ward since before that fiery kiss didn't seem to mind.

"I do want you," Ward said lowly, still holding Skye's gaze.

The two stared at each other for a total of five seconds before they were moving. Ward was on her in a flash, and Skye's arms wrapped around his waist easily. There was that fiery heat again, erupting from their joined lips as Ward kissed Skye hard enough to make her see stars. Her hands slowly crept up the back of his undershirt as she felt the hardened muscles rippling beneath the smooth surface. She moaned lowly into the kiss, grateful on so many levels that Ward's self-control sucked.

When at last they tore apart the two stared back at each other through ragged breathing, the same as when they were training together. There were so many more things between them now that should stop them from moving any further. Ward was injured, Skye was vulnerable, the two could be caught at any moment. They had every reason to stop, to force themselves apart like they did in the gym. Only this time no one turned back.

What happened between the two in the SUV was not gentle, or sweet, or loving. It was raw passion that grew into so much more with each crashing wave of intensity that rolled over Skye. It fulfilled a need within Ward as well as Skye, but when it was over and they were both left catching their breath Skye could feel the wall that she and Ward had finally knocked down tonight slowly reassemble between them.

"So…" Skye said slowly once they were both dressed and (for the most part) presentable. "What do you-" She stopped in her tracks as Ward's door opened, her S.O. stepping out easily and looking around to make sure they weren't being watched.

And then the door closed with enough force to jar Skye's very core. She watched through the windows as he made his way up the stairs without a glance back, feeling her anger rise with each silent moment that ticked by.

"You're an _idiot," _she exclaimed out loud, bringing her palm to her head and smacking herself angrily. Of course nothing had changed between them. Ward had been wounded and looking for someone to ease his bruised ego. And she had stupidly given him exactly what he wanted. The anger Skye felt only continued to grow the longer she sat in the SUV, leaving her with no option but to get out and follow Ward's previous footsteps. She bade a friendly if relatively cold good night to Fitz and Simmons before taking refuge in her bunk and locking the door. Maybe here she would be safe from the man who was slowly but surely taking pieces of her every time he came near.

* * *

><p>The next few days passed by in a blur for Skye. Of course, she had at first spent the night of the "Ward Incident" wondering how they were supposed to face each other the next morning. She was furious and humiliated all at the same time and all she could think about was <em>why <em>Ward had acted like he did.

But as it turned out, she didn't really have to worry too much. The next morning found May waiting by the punching bag and Skye breathing a sigh of relief. At least she didn't have to worry about holding a conversation. If anything May's presence had Skye working harder than usual to impress the older agent and by the time they were finished Skye was practically ready to drop.

"Good work today," May said curtly with a nod once the mats were put away, leaving Skye standing still with her mouth hanging wide open. Coulson would definitely have to put her on the next mission now. A 'good work' from May was basically a five page, single-spaced letter of recommendation.

May was there again in the afternoon and the next morning, and though Skye was grateful for the excuse to avoid Ward she was admittedly a little hurt that May and Ward had at least talked about _something_ while Skye was stuck sulking around the plane and avoiding her S.O. But no matter how uncomfortable she felt, Skye never allowed herself to let up. She spent the next couple days reading up on S.H.I.E.L.D. protocols while the team waited for more orders from HQ and, when she really needed it, seeking out company from Fitz-Simmons.

It was after a group game of Apples to Apples (one that included Coulson, much to everyone's delight) that Skye claimed she was exhausted and headed back early to her bunk, ignoring the protests from the group. Of course, as soon as Skye entered her bunk she remembered all the laundry she meant to put away hours before. It was hard to miss when the giant tower of shirts, pants, and underwear took up the majority of her bed.

Skye was halfway through putting away her giant heap of clothes when she heard the light tap on her door. "Come in," she called out as she grabbed a couple pairs of underwear to put away, figuring it was Simmons or Fitz trying get her to come back out and play. She heard the door open and only meant to spare half a glance for whoever it was that wanted to chat, but the sight of Grant Ward in her doorway stopped her in her tracks.

"What do you want?" Skye asked after a dramatic awkward silence between the two. She could hear how stiff her voice sounded and internally cringed as she dropped her gaze to her laundry again, refusing to let herself be trapped by those eyes again. She expected him to be the same brooding creature that would kiss her senseless and then leave her wishing desperately for more. She was ready to handle that version of him. What she didn't expect, Skye soon realized, was an apology.

"To say I'm sorry."

Skye snorted quietly to herself to mask her surprise, all but shoving the rest of her underwear into the lightweight shelving unit available in every room.

"I mean it, Skye. I'm sorry for what I did. I never meant to hurt you."

"Yeah? Well you have a funny way of showing it," Skye muttered, folding a T-shirt to give her something to do rather than to keep all of her clothes neatly put away. That wasn't really her style.

It was so faint that it might not have registered with Skye if she wasn't so on edge around Ward. The soft wooshing sound of the door sliding closed, the nearly imperceptible click of the lock. Skye's head shot up quick as lightning to stare at Ward, taking a step back as he took a step towards her, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender.

"Skye," he murmured, and for the first time in such a long time Skye saw the beginnings of a genuine smile cross his face. "I care about you. Back there in the car…I don't know what came over me. It wasn't fair to you, I know that. I should have stayed to talk to you, but I was so mad about what I did to you that I couldn't face you. I'd been holding myself back from you for so long and something in me just…snapped. I promise it'll never happen again." By now he was much closer to Skye but she had stopped backing away, merely staring up at him as she tried to figure him out.

"You're damn right it'll never happen again," she snapped. Well, tried to snap. In truth Skye's resolve was wavering and that familiar yearning was slowly returning. And he was so, so close…

"Skye," Ward breathed quietly, finally close enough to touch. He reached a hand out and gently tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, letting his thumb trace down her cheek as if he were touching her for the first time. Without realizing it Skye held her breath, watching Ward's reactions carefully. It was as if Skye was a wild animal and Ward was trying to keep her from running, his motions were so slow and controlled. But one step closer brought him the perfect distance to rest his hands on Skye's hips, watching her eyes carefully as he lowered his head to kiss her deeply.

Again, Skye felt like she was about to melt into Ward's touch. But as powerful as the animalistic passion the two previously shared had been, this had to be a thousand times better. Every caress, every movement of Ward's was gentle and sweet, and before she knew it Skye found herself completely at his mercy again.

It was with an aching slowness that Ward lowered Skye to the bed, brushing the rest of her clothes out of the way to make room. Skye had half a mind to reprimand him for that, but her mouth was soon busy as Ward followed her onto the bed.

As Skye suspected, this was a completely different experience for the two of them. While her previous romantic adventures with Ward had been fast-paced and hot enough to make your blood boil, this was like a gust of cool, fresh air. Ward was sweet and tender with Skye, taking the time to murmur over and over again how beautiful she was. He was the perfect gentleman, wrapping her tightly in his arms when it was over and kissing her softly. Skye found herself snuggling closer to the man she'd been furious with just a short time ago, all previous grievances forgotten.

"Grant?" Skye asked sleepily, shifting her head on Ward's chest so she could look up to see him smiling down at her.

"Yes?" He asked, one arm resting protectively around her waist, his fingers occasionally drumming against her soft skin.

"Would it be weird to ask my S.O. to stay tonight?" She forced sleep to wait with a few rapid blinks, bringing her hand up to rest on Ward's chest just as he chuckled.

"Maybe a little. But I'm not your S.O. tonight," he told her, pulling her closer to him.

"Hm? Then what are you?" Skye asked, yawning and letting her head fall into a more natural position.

"I'm Grant," he stated, the hand on her waist running up and down her side slowly. "I'm just Grant tonight. Sleep, Skye. I'll be here when you wake up."

And so Skye allowed sleep to take her.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope it was okay! I've read through it and edited it a few times but I'm uploading in a bit of a rush right now so please forgive me for any big mistakes!<strong>


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